Positioning

Next you need to find the best place for your aerial. Connect up, select a station – start with BBC1 or 2 – and then move the aerial around until you get a really stable picture.

Try to avoid putting it near a central heating boiler, microwave oven or electrical switches or motors, as any of these could cause interference to the picture and sound.

It may be that the position or direction the aerial points in doesn’t matter at all – or it may be critical. And this could easily vary from one room to another in your home.

We found we generally got a better signal near to a window – though not usually slap bang in front of it. And the best reception was high up – above head height.

If you find the best position is some distance from where you want the TV, you may have to buy an aerial extension cable. These are cheap and most electrical accessory shops stock them.

Polarisation
Look out your window and check your local neighbourhood rooftop aerials. These will point towards the transmitter and will be set either horizontally or vertically – this is called their polarisation. Most main transmitters use horizontal polarisation, and most relay stations use vertical polarisation.



Just like with rooftop aerials, indoor aerials work best when their polarisation matches the transmitter they receive from. If the aerial can be adjusted, set it to the right one.

You don’t need to adjust the polarisation on loop or flat panel style aerials.

Fixing your aerial
Now, quick, fix your aerial where it works best so that it cannot be accidentally moved! Adhesive Velcro patches usually work well here. And all our recommended aerials have rubber feet so there is no danger of scratching furniture.

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